Genetic diversity analysis in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes

Abstract

Genetic diversity study was conducted in 49 chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes using Mahalanobis D2 Statistics. Based on D2 values, 49 genotypes were grouped into 17 clusters. The cluster III consisted of maximum 13 genotypes followed by Cluster I and cluster II which both had 10 genotypes. Inter cluster values varied from 4.31 to 26.36. The maximum inter cluster distance was recorded between cluster IX and XIII (26.36). Characters 100 seed weight (62.07%), days to 50% flowering (17.94%) and canopy temperature depression (5.27%) contributed maximum towards diversity. On the basis of cluster mean values, cluster XIII was superior for yield per plot and 100 seed weight. The genotypes belonging to the clusters separated by high genetic distance could be used in hybridization programme for obtaining a wide spectrum of variation among the segregants.